Phonograph control



Aug. 16, 1932. VAN DYCK 1,872,366

PHONOGRAPH CONTROL Filed May 27, 1951 lNVENTOR AKWURE MN NTK ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" ARTHUR F. VAN DYCK, OF YONKERSyNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION OF.DELAWARE PHONOGRAPH CONTROL Application filed May 27, 1931. Serial No. 540,285.

My present invention relates to phonograph control arrangements, and more particularly to an improved control device for phonographic devices. I

In radio phonograph combinations, and phonographs utilizing electric pickups and amplifiers, in use at present, pre-grooved records may be employed for so-called home recording. That is to say, devices are now available which permit any person possessing a phonograph turntable, audio frequency amplifier and electric pickup, to perform personal recording by merely utilizing a recording stylus, a pre-grooved record, and a microphone. However, with present mechanism 01 this home recording type, if the individual pauses during recording for anyappreciable length of time the stylus continues in the record grooves uselessly.

Valuable record groove distance and time is thereby wasted. While it is true that the recording person may lift the tone arm away from the record, or render the turntable actuator completely inoperative, it is not difficult to see that both of these expedients are unsatisfactory in performance. Inthe former case, unless the turntable were simultaneously stopped, it is almost impossible for the person to replace the stylus in such a manner that the interruption gap is not noticeablc during reproduction. In the latter case, the time consumed for starting and stopping the turntable actuator is suflicient to waste much record groove distance, and a more powerful actuator is necessary to start under the load of the recording stylus on the record.

In general, it is highly desirable to permit the recording person to be able to pause for any length of time, as for example to collect his thoughts, without in any way interrupting the movement of the turntable. I

Now, I have devised a novel means where-' by starting and stopping of recording is possible at any time, for any length of, time, without loss of record space. Accordingly, it may be stated that it is one of the main objects of my present invention to provide a means whereby a recording stylus and even a reproducing needle, can be lifted from a record blank at any instant the operator desires, held off the record forany length of time, and replaced on the record in substantially the right position 'to con tinue recording, or reproducing, beyond where the last recording, or reproducing, ceased.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide in a recording machine a single means for simultaneously elevating, and laterally spacing, the tone arm of the recorder in recording direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a radio phonograph combination employing a. recorder arrangement, a means for removing the stylus from the record at any time, and without loss of record space, said means comprising a device'associated with the tone arm in such a manner that the latter is displaced laterally an extremely slight and predetermined distance toward an unused portion of the groove whereby when the arm is replaced in operative recording position it can not possibly continue recording on an already recorded portion of a groove.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in combination with an audio amplifier and microphone, a record blank disposed on a turntable, a tone arm provided with a recording stylus, the arm being ar ranged for lateral and vertical displacement, a single means for simultaneously performing said displacements,and means associated with the microphone and single means for controlling said displacements.

Other objects of the present invention are to improve generally the efliciency and con venience of recording devices, and particularly to provide an auxiliary arrangement for use in home recording combinations which is not only economical, durable and reliable inoperation, but economically manufactured and installed in existing equipment.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth in particularity in the appended claims, the invention itself, however, as to both itsorganization and method of operation will by my invention may be carried into effect.

In the drawing, I

Fig.- 1 is a pictorial representation of a recording arrangement embodying the present invention,

* Fig. 2- is a detailed view of the. invention taken along line a-aloo-kingin theldirection of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the invention taken along line 6-?) looking in .the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 aplan .view of a portion of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1,

"Fig. 5 diagrammatically shows a modified form of the invention.

..Referri ng to the accompanying drawing inwhichlike characters of reference indicate the same parts in the difierent views there is shown in Fig. 1, in pictorial manner, aturntable arrangement 1 having disposed onitsrecording face. a blank record 2, the turntable construction being limited to. the showing of the supporting shaft and the central, guide pin 3. The. actuatingmechanisinfor. the turntable is well known to those skilled in the art, and need not be described in any further detail, except to point out, that the actuating mechanism usually embodies some type of electrical motor, or spring driven motor, device.

34; The. bl-ankrecord is preferably of the pregrooved type employed at present. in the aforementioned so-called home recording combinations. Recording is performed in the. grooves ofrecord 2 by means of a cutting stylus 4 removably secured to an electric pick-up 5, the latter being supportedby atone-arm 6. The internal construction of theelectric pickup device is'well known to those skilled-in the art, and need not be described in .any further detail except to point out that theremay be used for the pick-up. 5 a. construction as shown, for example, b A. .N. Goldsmith in U. S. Patent 1,735,113 ofNovember 12, 1929. The pick-up is usually. provided with a pair of terminals 6, 7 which terminals are. connected by .leads 6, 7/ to, an audio frequency amplifier arrangement. I

. In Fig. 1 the amplifier is to be understood as. being part of a radio receiver 8 provided withthe, usual control instrumentalities andindicating devices, generally denoted: by the numeral.- 9,0n the operating panel 10 of the receiver. The receiver may be of anyv well (30. known type, as for example the tuned radio frequency .or superheterodyne types, and in any :case embodies one or more. stages-of audio frequency amplification. The. interior construction of the radio receiver need not i be described in any further. detail sincesuch construction is not a part of the present invention, and is well known to those skilled in this art.

A microphone device, generally denoted by the numeral 11, is shown connected by leads 12 to the radio receiver 8, it being understood that the leads 12. are connected to the input of the audio frequency amplifier, when the leads 6, 7 are connected to the output of the amplifier.

:IIt isalso'to' be clearly understood that when it is desired to reproduce a recorded -record2,-i t is merely necessary to replace the microphone 11 by a loudspeaker (not shown), and by means of a switching device 13-connect the speaker to the output of the audio. frequency, amplifier,while the leads 6, 7 are connected, in this case, to the input of the amplifier. Such a change-over switch, and connections, for utilizing a sin gle audio-frequency amplifier of a radio receiver with an electric pick-up, microphone and loudspeaker is shown in detail by-A. N. Goldsmith. in United States Patent- 1,724,191 ofAugustlfi, 1929.

. It is, ofcourse, to be clearly understood that the present invention is not limited to the audio frequency amplifier of a radio receiver, since the pick-up device 5 may be employed in conjunction. with an audio frequency amplifier independently of any other devices. .As explained heretofore, with present mechanism of the type shown in 1, as the speaker stops talking, the stylus 4 keeps on cuttingthe record uselessly, thereby wasting valuable record groove distance and time. Anovjel arrangement extremely simple in construction and actuation is accordingly shown in Fig. 1 for permitting starting and stopping of recording at any time during recording operation, for any length of time, without loss of record space.

This arrangement comprises a pivotable rack divided by a vertical bend 21 into a pair of parallel portions. 22. One of these latter portions is rot-atably' disposed in a fixed vertical pillar 23, a hand lever 24: being fixedly secured to the end of the rack. The other parallel rack portion 22 is provided with a plurality of serrations, or teeth 24, on a predeterminedllength ofits surface. A knife edge 25 is secured to'the under-surface of a predetermined portion of the tone arm 6, the knife edge being disposed substantially normal to the rack portion 22 bearing the teeth.

'The tone arm 6 is swivelled by means of any well known type of universal joint construction 26to. a support 27. It will, therefore, be seenthatthe tone arm 6 is adapted for. vertical and. lateraldisplacement, since the socket portion 26 of the universal joint 26 ismovably mounted. with respect to the support 27.

In Figs. 2. and 3there is shown, in detail,

the construction of the serrations or teeth 24, and the knife edge 25. The latter, as shown in Fig. 3 has one of its parallel faces partially beveled as at The shape of the teeth 2% is such that the unbroken face 25 of the knifeedge is adapted to slide into a position, when the lever '24: is moved in the direction of the arrow to position the rack as shown in Fig. 1, simultaneously to elevate and laterally displace the tone arm 6, so that the knife edge is seated in the space between a given pair of teeth 24.

The motion of the tone arm is facilitated by virtue of the universal oint construction 26, and the fact that the socket 26 is sw-ivelled to the support 27 for lateral motion. In other words, when the lever arm 24 is moved in the direction of the arrow, the tone arm is ,simultaneously elevated and translated in recording direction a distance whose length de pends upon the relative positions of knife edge and teeth when they come together, but which never'exceeds the width of one tooth Each of the teeth 24 is shaped so that the tone arm is caused to slide laterally very slightly toward an unused portion of the record blank, so that when the tone arm is again dropped the cutting stylus cannot possibly be disposed on a recorded part of the blank. In Fig. 2, there is shown in detail the relative placement of the knife edge 25 and a tooth 2% when the rack 20 is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The length of the knife edge is such that the tone arm is positively under control of the operator until the cutting stylus is in actual contact with the record blank, this being brought about when the lever arm 24: is moved in a direction opposite to the arrow.

The thickness of the knife edge, additionally, is such that whatever the angular disposition of the tone arm, the knife edge of the blade is capable of being disposed in the space between a pair of teeth. In Fig.4 the two extreme positions of the tone arm 6 are shown. The pick-up 5 of the tone arm is schematically shown, the full line designating the extreme initial position of the tone arm, while the dotted line illustrates the extreme final position of the tone arm. The total extent of the teeth y is designed to be slightly greater than the arcuate distance representing the arcuate travelof the tone arm between its aforementioned extreme positions. As pointed out heretofore the knife edge 25 is able to slide into the space between any pair of teeth at any position between the extreme positions of the tone arm. It should be noted that the arc of travel of the pickup passes through the pin 3 of the turntable.

Considering, now, in detail, the operation of the-device, and assuming that the cutting stylus is actually in contact with a groove of the record blank as the turntable is rotating, should the person recording desire to pause for any reason whatever, it is merely necessary for him to turn the lever arm 24 in the direction of the arrow. As the lever arm 24 moves upward the serrated rack portion 20' simultaneously begins its upward movement. Before it has moved any appreciable upward distance, the forward portion of the-knife edge is contacted by a portion of a tooth to the rack. As the rack continues its upward movement, the beveled face 25 is caused to slide downwardly in contact with an oblique face of the tooth with the result that when the rack is in vertical position, the knife edge is disposed between a pair of teeth as shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 2 showing another view ofthis same final position.

It will now be seen that when the lever arm 24: is moved to the return position, either by moving the lever arm 24.- in adirection opposite to the arrow, or by continuing movement of the lever arm in the direction of the arrow to completea circle of 360 degrees, the tone arm is gradually lowered. The knife edge is in contact with the space between a pair of teeth until the cutting stylus rests in a groove, ready to continue recording, after which the rack moves out of contact with the knife edge.

It is to be observed that lateral translation of the tone arm will take place at all times when the lever arm 24; is actuated to a raising position. Even if the knife edge of the blade 25 were to contact with the top edge of a tooth, as the rack was raised, it can be seen that by virtue of the beveled face 25 the tone arm would be caused to slide sideways the width of a tooth. As stated heretofore, each tooth is made sufficiently wide to displace the tone arm laterally a very slight I distance. This distance is preferably about that of the width of one or two grooves, in view of the fact that when the record is being reproduced a gap of one or two grooves is not appreciably noticed.

It will now be seen that the cutting stylus can be lifted from the record blank at any instant the operator desires, held off the record for any length of time, and replaced on the record in exactly the right position to continue recording beyond where the last recording stopped, without appreciable loss of record space.

The arrangement provides a useful feature at the beginning of a recording, as well as those above described for use during pauses in the recording. At the beginning of recording, it is necessary, without this device, for the operator to lower the cutting stylus on the record in the extreme beginning groove. It is usuallydifficult to see the grooves easily so that it is not easy to lower the stylus to the proper position.

With this invention, the initial lowering vii of the tone arm to exactly proper place on the record is possible by placing a stop,or a larger tooth,.or similar means, on the rack which engages the knife edge, at that point which causes the stylus, when the tone arm is lowered, to touch the record at the extreme groove. Ticrefore to prepare for recording the operator puts the rack in the elevated position and places the tone arm on the rack I at the point determined by the stop or similar means. To begin r-cording he merely lowers the tone arm with the control handle 2%, and the stylus contacts the record at the correct position.

Of course, it is not essential to the present invention to employ teeth, since a predetermined portion of the rack may be serrated in any manner desired. For example this predetermined rack portion may be roughened in such a manner as to produce the results-heretofore describes. That is to say, serrations may be provided in such a manner that when the rack is elevated, the knife blade cooperates with a serration simultaneously to elevate, and laterally displace, the tone arm a very slight distance in recording direction. Again, instead of using a manual. control for the rack, it is possible to employ a remote, automatic instrumentality.

In Fig. 5 there is shown such a device, the latter comprising a reciprocable plunger 30, having one end thereof pivotally linked to the free end of the lever 24, while the free portion of the plunger is disposed within a conventional type of solenoid windnig 31.

The lever 24 is normally maintained in tone arm raising position by means of any desired type of resilient device 32, such a spring, one end of the spring being affixed to a rigid 4 surface 33, the other end of the spring being securely affixed to an intermediateportion of the lever arm 24.

The solenoid winding 31 has connected in series with it a source of energizing current 34 (not shown), a conventional type of push button switch being disposed in any well known fashion upon the base 11 of the microphone 11, the base being shown in dotted lines by a dotted circle in Fig. 5. It will now be seen that when the button switch 35 is closed, current from the source 34 energizes the winding 31, thereby pulling the plunger 30 further into the winding 31. ,This latter movement results in arcuate displacement of the lever arm 24 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, with the result that the tone arm 6 is lowered thereby contacting the stylus 4 with the record blank.

As long as the button 35 is maintained in depressed position, the stylus is in contact with the record blank; however, as soon as the button 35 is released, then the winding 31 is de-energized thus permitting, the spring 32 to retract the lever arm 24 to its tone arm raising position. It will be appreciated that,

as stated heretofore,.the rack is adapted to elevate the tone arm by contact with either end of the knife edge of the blade 25.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 5 enables the recording person to know that as long as he keeps the switch button 35 depressed he is able to record, but-as soon as he releases the button he is certain that no recording is taking place. Obviously, the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 can be redesigned so that the reverse is true, to wit that recording will cease as long as the button 35 is depressed, and will commence as soon as the button'is released, this re-design being well within the ability of those skilled in the art.

-The present'invention is, additionally, wellsuited for control in the reproduction of records whenever it is desired to start and stop reproduction. Exactly the same mech anismis employed, it being merely necessary to replace the stylus 4 by a reproducing needle, and the microphone by a loudspeaker. Again, this device is useful for oflice dicta phone work, where it is often desired to pause during recording or reproducing. Thus, while I have indicated and described several systems for carrying my invention into effect, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that my invention is by no means limited to the particular arrangements shown and described, but that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, in a recording and reproducing arrangement, a tone arm provided with pick-up, a record, means for rotating said record, means for movably supporting said tone arm, and a single means having a portion of its surface serrated for simultaneously displacing said tone arm in a vertical and lateral direction.

2. In combination, in a recording arrangement, atone arm provided with a cutting stylus, a record blank, means for rotating said blank, means for movably supporting said tone arm, and a single means for simultaneously displacing said tone arm in a vertical and lateral direction, said means having a portion of its surface serrated being ar ranged for-contact with said tone arm .at the instant elevation of the latter is initiated.

3. In a recording device, a rotatable record blank, a cutting stylus, means for movably supporting said stylus, and a. single means having a serrated surface of predetermined extent. for simultaneously elevatingand spacing the stylus in recording direction.

4. In combination, a record blank, means for rotating said blank, an audio amplifier, an electric pick-up provided with a cutting stylus, a supporting arm for said pick-up, and means for removing the stylus from said a rotatable record blank, a tone arm provided with a recording device, an audio amplifier connected to said device, a microphone connected to said amplifier, and a single means for vertically and laterally displacing the recording device in recording direction a predetermined distance.

6. In combination, in a voice reproducing device, a rotatable record, a tone arm provided with a pick-up, audio amplifier connected to said device, a microphone connected to said amplifier, and a. single means for vertically and laterally displacing the pick-up a predetermined distance.

7. In combination, a rotatable record blank, a tone arm provided with a recording device, an audio amplifier connected to said device, a m crophone connected to said amplifier, and a single means for vertically and laterally displacing the recording device in recording direction a predetermined distance, and additional means disposed at said microphone for regulating the operation of said single means.

8. In combination, a rotatable record blank, a tone arm provided with a recording device, an audio amplifier connected to said device, a microphone connected to said amplifier, and a single means for vertically and laterally displacing the recording device in recording direction a predetermined distance, and additional means between said microphone and single means for automatically regulating the operation of said single means.

9. In combination, a record blank, means for rotating said blank, a recording device, means for movably supporting said device, said supporting means being provided with a projection, and a single means having a serrated surface, adapted to cooperate with said projection, for simultaneously elevating -means for movably supporting said device,

said supporting means being provided with a pro ection, and a single means, adapted to cooperate with said projection, for simultaneously elevating and laterally displacing said supporting means in recording direction, said means comprising a rotatable arm provided with serrations.

=12. In combination, in a phonograph, a tone arm, a record, means forv rotating the record, means for movably supporting said tone arm.,and a single means having a serrated surface of predetermined extent for si multaneously displacing said tone arm in a vertical. and lateral direction.

In combination, a record blank, means for rotating said blank, an audio amplifier, an electric pick-up provided with a cutting stylus, a supporting arm for said pickup, and means including a predetermined number of teeth for removing the stylus from said record at any instant, said means being so designed that the stylus is replaced on the record in substantially the right position to continue recording beyond where the last record.- ing stopped.

14. In combination, a rotatable record blank, a tone arm provided with a recording device, an audio amplifier connected to said device, a microphone connected to said amplifier, and a single means comprising an adjustable arm provided with a predetermined number of teeth for vertically and laterally displacing the recording device in recording direction a predetermined distance.

15. In combination, in a voice reproducing device, a rotatable record, a tone arm provided with a piclcup, an audio amplifier connect- .ed to said device, a microphone connected to said amplifier, anda single means comprising a rotatable, eccentrically mounted arm provided'with a predetermined number of teeth for vertically and laterally displacing the pick-up a predetermined distance.

16. In combination, a rotatable record blank, a tone arm provided with a recording device, an audio amplifier connected to said device, a microphone connected to said amplifier, and a single means for vertically and laterally displacing the recording device in recording direction a predetermined distance, and additional means between said microphone and single means for automatically regulating the operation of said single means, and means electrically connected to said additional means, and operable from the microphone, for actuating at willsaid additional means.

17. In combination, a record blank, means for rotating said blank, a recording device, means for'movably supporting said device, said supporting means being provided with a projection of predetermined extent, and a single means, adapted to cooperate with said projection, for simultaneously elevating and laterally displacing said supporting means in recording direction, said means including a mobile arm provided with teeth.

18. In combination, a record blank, means for rotatingsaid blank a recording device, means for movably supportlng sald device,

said supporting means being provided with a projection having a knife edge, and a single means,.adapted to cooperate with said pro ect1on,-for simultaneouslyelevating and laterally displacing said supporting means in recording direction; said means comprising a rotatableiarm provided with a predetermined number of teeth adapted to cooperate with said edge.

e 19. In combination, a record lolank means for rotating said blank, a recording device, means for'mova-bly supporting said device; said: supporting means being provided with a projection,'.and a single means including a predetermined number of teeth, adapted ;to

cooperate 'with said projection,- for simultaneously elevating and laterally displacing said supporting means in recording direction a distancesubstantially equal to one-of said teeth.

ARTHUR 'F. VAN DYCK. 

